Lean on Me a Review of the Movie
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Lean on me is a good film especially for school administrators and people who are thinking of becoming an administrator some day. It gives us a lot of insight in handling different challenges faced by administrators.
There were a couple of interesting points that struck me while watching the movie. I especially liked the line at the start of the movie – “Discipline is not the enemy of enthusiasm”. This line is very true. It doesnt mean that when discipline is established in school, the students lose the eagerness to learn. In fact, I believe that discipline goes hand in hand with the enthusiasm to learn. But the skill I would like to focus on is Mr. Clarks decision making.
I completely agree with Mr. Clarks decision making. He was not afraid or threatened with the people who did not agree with him even if it meant being unpopular with the students and his peers. He stood firm with what he believes is right and good for the school. As an administrator, we should adapt the same courage in decision making as Mr. Clark. Administrators have to make a lot of decisions, whether big or small. And in making decisions, there will always be resistance, not everyone will agree with you. But as an administrator, you should not let this affect you. If administrators become unconfident about their decisions, they will be undermined by the teachers and later on might lose their credibility amongst the students and his colleagues.
Although administrators encounter resistance, it doesnt mean that they (administrators) should care less about these teachers or students. Cooperation is still key in running a successful establishment and as an administrator; you need to persuade these people to see the benefits of your choice. Although as an administrator, youve already made your decision, it is still important to listen to what the “others” have to say. It shows that you value their opinion and are willing to do something about their suggestion.
Although I admire Mr. Clarks courage in making decisions despite resistance, I do not agree with him when he became very uncompromising with the suggestions the other teachers made. Maybe because the school is already in the worst possible situation or as Mr. Clark would say, “Desperate times, call for desperate measure”. But in cases not as worse as East Side High, the administrator should take time to listen and be open